CVE-2026-72206 (GCVE-0-2026-72206)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-08-15 05:54 – Updated: 2026-08-18 06:56
VLAI
Title
ntfs: validate index block header more strictly
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ntfs: validate index block header more strictly Modify ntfs_index_block_inconsisent() to perform stricter validation of INDEX_HEADER geometry in INDX blocks, and update ntfs_lookup_inode_by_name() to use that function to validate INDX blocks.
Severity
9.8 (Critical)
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Assigner
References
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version CPE status
Linux Linux Affected: 1e9ea7e04472d4e5e12e58c881eaacfb3e49b669 , < 34a49b3e94a50f45b62c6e6f574f676a079ba23e (git)
Affected: 1e9ea7e04472d4e5e12e58c881eaacfb3e49b669 , < 14bc34fe948523dc2b0174691f9af9e74eb4f3fd (git)
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Linux Linux Affected: 7.1
Unaffected: 0 , < 7.1 (semver)
Unaffected: 7.1.5 , ≤ 7.1.* (semver)
Unaffected: 7.2 , ≤ * (original_commit_for_fix)
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{
  "containers": {
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      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "fs/ntfs/dir.c",
            "fs/ntfs/index.c",
            "fs/ntfs/index.h"
          ],
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          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
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              "version": "7.1"
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              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "semver"
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              "status": "unaffected",
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              "versionType": "semver"
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        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "baseScore": 9.8,
            "baseSeverity": "CRITICAL",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
            "version": "3.1"
          },
          "scenarios": [
            {
              "lang": "en",
              "value": "AV:N - Legacy fs/ntfs registers ntfs_export_ops; remote nfsd/ksmbd LOOKUP or open/stat on an exported crafted NTFS volume reaches ntfs_lookup\u2192ntfs_lookup_inode_by_name INDX B+tree descent without attacker local shell access.\nAC:L - The attacker fully controls on-disk INDX INDEX_HEADER geometry (entries_offset, index_length, allocated_size); pre-fix ntfs_lookup_inode_by_name omitted checks that ntfs_index_block_inconsistent enforced, enabling reliable malformed-index parsing with no race.\nPR:N - Exploitation needs only a malicious NTFS image (USB, loop, dual-boot) mounted by root/udisks2/automount, or NFS/SMB read access to exported paths; no init-namespace root or CAP_SYS_ADMIN on the lookup trigger path.\nUI:N - Automounting removable NTFS or fill_super lookups (e.g. into $Extend/Quota) invoke ntfs_lookup_inode_by_name against index-allocation blocks without further victim action beyond presenting the crafted volume.\nS:U - Out-of-bounds INDX parsing impacts only the host kernel within its filesystem security authority; this is not a VM escape, IOMMU bypass, or cross-sandbox boundary crossing.\nC:H - Missing entries_offset/index_length versus bytes_available validation lets lookup reinterpret INDX header bytes as index entries and read past the index area within the kmalloc page buffer into adjacent kernel memory.\nI:H - The same unchecked INDX geometry is parsed by ntfs_ib_read for write-capable index operations; attacker-steerable header/entry walks can feed later memmove/insert paths and heap corruption beyond the intended index buffer.\nA:H - Crafted INDX entries_offset/length fields can cause infinite index-entry loops, slab/page out-of-bounds reads on malformed walks, or unhandled faults that oops or panic the kernel during directory lookup or mount."
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-08-18T06:56:26.018Z",
        "orgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "shortName": "Linux"
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          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/34a49b3e94a50f45b62c6e6f574f676a079ba23e"
        },
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          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/14bc34fe948523dc2b0174691f9af9e74eb4f3fd"
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      ],
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    "assignerShortName": "Linux",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-72206",
    "datePublished": "2026-08-15T05:54:02.534Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-08-09T03:40:39.912Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-08-18T06:56:26.018Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
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  "dataVersion": "5.2",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
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      "date": "2026-08-24",
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    "redhat_vex": {
      "aggregate_severity": "Moderate",
      "current_release_date": "2026-08-18T16:28:38+00:00",
      "cve": "CVE-2026-72206",
      "id": "CVE-2026-72206",
      "initial_release_date": "2026-08-15T00:00:00+00:00",
      "product_status:known_not_affected": "274",
      "source": "Red Hat CSAF VEX",
      "status": "final",
      "title": "kernel: ntfs: validate index block header more strictly",
      "url": "https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-72206.json",
      "version": "3"
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    "suse_vex": {
      "aggregate_severity": "moderate",
      "current_release_date": "2026-08-21T00:42:34Z",
      "cve": "CVE-2026-72206",
      "id": "CVE-2026-72206",
      "initial_release_date": "2026-08-21T00:42:34Z",
      "product_status:known_not_affected": "284",
      "source": "SUSE CSAF VEX",
      "status": "interim",
      "title": "SUSE CVE CVE-2026-72206",
      "url": "https://ftp.suse.com/pub/projects/security/csaf-vex/cve-2026-72206.json",
      "version": "2"
    }
  }
}



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Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.

Sightings

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Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
  • Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.


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